Ira Aotearoa’s Post

Demi Moore won her first ever acting award after 45 years of work. 45 years. It's a reminder that sometimes achieving great heights, or the pinnacle in your career as I like to call it, can take time. Wins aren’t always instant. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t on their way. Your job is to keep honing your craft. Put in the time. The dedication. The effort. To not let the voice of self-doubt or the noise of small-minded critics derail you. Rather, transmute it into fuel, action and audacity. Use it to keep moving forward, one step at a time. And to never quit on yourself or your dreams. Instead, find people that will cheer you on so loudly that their belief becomes contagious and it inspires you to reach beyond the limits of what you thought possible. If you can do all those things, stay rooted in commitment, resilience, and support, there’s no reason the recognition, rewards, or accolades of a successful career won’t follow. So, keep showing up. Keep betting on yourself. Keep believing your moment is coming. Because it is. #DemiMoore #NeverTooLate #KeepGoing

NOMINATING SOMEONE FOR AN AWARD? Six tips to help boost their chances in the 2025 Make Your Mark Awards Read more in the 70th issue of Aycliffe Business, online here: https://lnkd.in/eeyuTNpq

Congratulations Sarah Brewer FCIPD. You came highly recommended by the person who nominated you. I know, like most of the Mastering Diversity Conference and Awards nominees, you do not realise all you do.🎉 Wishing you the very best results! #Awards ##masteringdiversity2024 #masteringdiversityconferenceandawards #wegotogetherornotatall #DiversityIsStrength #ChangeThroughInclusion #DiversityLeadership #InspireToEmpower #DiversityMatters #EmpowermentThroughInclusion #IntersectionalityMatters #InclusiveConversations #DiversityInclusion

Who Will Take Home the Title?  The excitement is building as we get closer to our annual awards night! This year, we’re celebrating some of the best in the business with titles that recognise grit, growth, freedom, and everything in between! Here’s a sneak peek of the categories our finalists are up for … 👀 ✨ High Roller - Who has achieved the biggest profit growth and shown exceptional profitability?  🔧 Time off Tools - Who’s successfully transitioned out of day-to-day operations to focus on the big picture?  🌴 Freedom - Who’s mastered delegation and enjoyed the most time away from their business without missing a beat?  💪 True Grit - Who’s overcome every challenge thrown their way with resilience and determination?  📈 Most Improved - Who’s demonstrated the most substantial growth across all areas of their business?  🤝 Coaches Choice - Who do our coaches believe embodies the spirit of collaboration, growth, and contribution?  🚀 Rookie of the Year - Which newcomer has shown rapid development, hitting the ground running?  🌟 The Integrated Tradie™ of the Year - Who exemplifies our philosophy of building a sustainable business that supports both personal freedom and professional success?

⏰ Clock is ticking: only 3 days left until our Early Entry Deadline! Unlike many other award shows, the Telly Awards take a unique approach to judging: there can be multiple winners in a category or, in some cases, no winners at all. 🏆 Entries are judged based on a standard of excellence, not popularity, so both big and small companies can be recognized for their creativity and judged purely on merit. This approach avoids the "For Your Consideration" campaign, ensuring fair recognition for all. Enter your work before Friday to take advantage of Preferred Early Pricing: https://vist.ly/3mpiwxc

How do you make other people feel? This simple question might be the most important one you reflect on this year. Inspired by the philosophy of Charles Schulz, creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip, I want to share a thought exercise that brings perspective on what truly matters in life. Consider these questions: 🌟 Can you name the five wealthiest people in the world? 🏈 The last five Heisman trophy winners? 👑 The last five winners of the Miss America pageant? Chances are, these questions are harder to answer than you might expect. Now, think about these: 🍎 List a few teachers who aided your journey through school. ❤️ Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time. 📘 Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile. Notice the difference? It's much easier to recall the people who have a direct impact on our lives, those who care about us and who we care about. This exercise highlights a profound truth: the people who make the deepest impact on our lives are not necessarily the ones with the most accolades or wealth. They are the ones who care the most. In our pursuit of success, let's not forget the real measure of achievement: how we affect the lives of those around us. I don't want to be remembered for our trophies or titles, but for how I have made others feel, how I have helped, and how I have loved. Who has made a lasting impact on your life? I'd love to hear your stories.

Let me tell you about one of our clients, an attorney who was always chasing these invisible trophies—like trying to be the most perfect, the one who never said no, or the one who didn’t need help. She worked the longest hours, rested the least, and believed she had to live up to everyone’s expectations. Sounds familiar? She came to us completely burned out, juggling her team, her clients, and her personal life, thinking that if she wasn’t everything to everyone, she was somehow failing. She was stuck in this cycle of trying to win awards that didn’t even exist. But here’s the thing—it wasn’t until she finally allowed herself to take a step back, ask for help, and let go of trying to do it all, that everything changed. Once she stopped chasing perfection and embraced the idea that it’s okay not to be superhuman, her team started thriving, her work improved, and she actually felt in control of her life again. The real win for her? Finding balance and realizing that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. It’s something we all need to remind ourselves—those fake awards we think we need to win? They don’t matter. What does matter is your well-being, your team’s success, and your happiness. So, let go of the pressure. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be human. #BeHuman #AskForHelp #Leadership #YouGotThis #WorkLifeBalance

This was my first Quarterly Business Review (QBR) since I joined TC Group in January, and the following is a superb summary of the day from Stephen Watts. To change job/career after nearly 38 years wasn’t something that I did without a lot of thought. That said I can whole heartedly say it was the right thing to do. The leadership, the culture and best of all the people make this business. They are an inspiring team who come together, not only to support one another, but to best serve their clients and they continue to do this with great success. Here’s to the next QBR 👍 #WeAreTCGroup #culture #values #teamwork #businessadvisors

GreenSquareAccord has announced receiving 254 nominations for their Gold Star Awards, describing this as an impressive 42% increase over last year’s entries. However, this claim seems somewhat underwhelming, especially considering their workforce size and the upcoming expenditure for the awards ceremony. To put this in perspective, with an employee base ranging between 1,000 and 5,000, the 254 nominations represent only about 5.08% to 25.4% of their total staff. Last year’s nominations, calculated to be around 179, indicate a low participation rate. Moreover, it is important to note that these nominations are solely from staff members, with no input from customers or residents. This exclusion is disheartening, particularly considering the crucial role that customers and residents play in the organisation’s operations. Their feedback and recognition would provide a more comprehensive and authentic measure of performance and service quality. When considering the costs associated with organising and hosting an awards ceremony, including logistics, venue, awards, and lost productivity, one must question the efficiency and impact of this exercise. The expenditure seems extravagant and not necessarily reflective of broad recognition across the organisation. Given these figures and the lack of customer/resident involvement, it's crucial to consider whether the awards genuinely enhance morale and recognition or if they simply serve as a costly tradition with limited reach. In light of these numbers, the resources allocated to the Gold Star Awards might be better invested in more impactful employee and customer engagement initiatives, or better yet spent making the homes of their residents safe, warm and dry.

You feel seen, don’t you? It (often) starts with a swimming badge. Well done, you. Then maybe a badge or two from the Brownies or Scouts. Certificates. Exam results. Appraisals. The validation list goes on and on. But somehow, it’s never enough, is it? Then, as a lawyer, you achieve something noteworthy—a Legal 500 ranking, a well-deserved award, or a promotion. You want to share your success on LinkedIn, but there’s that whisper in the background: “Don’t make too much noise. Stay humble. No one likes a show-off. Posting is boasting” But here’s the truth: people who tell you not to celebrate are often speaking from a position of privilege. For some, recognition has always come easy. They’ve had the networks, the opportunities, the invisible hand lifting them up at every stage. They don’t need to shout about their wins because their path has always been laid out ahead of them. Or maybe they've already plateaued and they have drawn the ladder up. They're tired of *this* kind of reward. But for others—maybe you—those achievements were fought for. They weren’t handed out like participation trophies. They represent grit, resilience, and moments of doubt. And you know what? You’ve earned the right to be proud of them. Celebrating your achievements isn’t about showing off; it’s about acknowledging the hard work that went into them. It’s about standing tall and saying, “I belong here.” Don’t let anyone dim your light because it makes them uncomfortable. So go ahead—post about your awards, your rankings, your milestones. Share the wins, big or small, and inspire others to do the same. You’ve earned this moment. I'll like your post and comment 98.79% of the time. Well done, you. #Marketing #Lawyers #LawFirms #SimonSays